From the FNHA Healthy Living Team 

Each year as we get closer to the cold and flu season,  we get an avalanche of articles telling us how we can "Bump up your immune system" or "Boost your immunity." And each year people buy the products and take them and still get sick.

"Buy this" say the ads, "and you won't catch a cold!" We all want to avoid getting sick, and the sad news is that there are no products out there that can prevent it, for sure. The best advice to avoid sickness is the age old message to wash your hands, every single chance you get, and to stay as balanced as possible. Take good care of your physical health by eating healthy foods and choosing traditional foods whenever you can.

Being active in a way you love: dancing, drumming, running (or even just healthy living duties around the house like vacuuming) is another important component of physical health and is also the best thing you can do for mental health. Being kind to yourself and sharing your families' love has a positive benefit for your emotional health. Connecting with nature and Creator in your local green spaces, be they a park, a forest or a beach will contribute to your spiritual health. These are the things that make us healthy and truly boost our immunity;  No vitamin or pill can come anywhere close. We also know that spending money on pills or vitamins takes that money away from other needs: healthy food and family needs. So be wary of the claims you hear. Here are some examples:

• • "Vitamin C prevents colds" - Daily consumption of 200 mg (or more) of vitamin C does not reduce the risk of getting a cold, but it may slightly reduce the duration and severity of symptoms in people who get a cold.

  
  

  • "Garlic, ginger and turmeric prevent colds"  - These are all great tasting foods that people can eat more of. They're delicious, but unfortunately there is no evidence that they alone can prevent colds. Ginger is great when people's tummy is upset, as it's proven to reduce nausea. And a generous serving of garlic, particularly in soup, will make your nose run and help relieve a cold's congestion. Turmeric is the spice that makes curry yellow, so its spicy goodness is another food to choose when you've been bitten by the 'flu' bug.

  
  

  • "Take a probiotic daily" - Probiotic supplements are a challenge, because there's no way of knowing if they've been shipped and stored in ways that will keep the friendly bacteria in them alive. So be cautious in spending money on these, because they might not be of any use if there's no living bacteria in them. There's not yet much evidence that they prevent illness alone, although they may help with a variety of conditions, particularly childhood diarrhoea. Eating foods rich in natural probiotic bacteria might be a better choice (and tastier, too!) Foods like yoghurt & kefir, miso, sauerkraut, kim chee, and tempeh (a femented soy food).

  
  

  • "Omega-3 fatty acids" - Again these are great choices, but there is no information about whether or not they prevent colds. Salmon and ooligan are great sources, and ooligan grease is both food and medicine.

  
  

  • "Drink lots of water" - Drinking lots of water is always a healthy choice - drink enough so that your pee is clear every day!

So stay healthy during cold and flu season! Enjoy time your family, eat tasty meals together, and go out for a walk in the forest or in a field. Wash your hands every chance you get! And don't forget to get your flu vaccination. 

For more information on FNHA Healthy Living please contact: Nutrition@fnha.ca.